Common Sense Media Review
By Monique Jones
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Satire with swearing sets its sights on the U.S. military.
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Atropia
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What's the Story?
Set during George W. Bush's presidency, ATROPIA follows an aspiring actress named Fayruz (Alia Shawkat) who hopes to make it big by working at a U.S. military base that simulates wartime activity in Iraq. But roleplaying meshes with real life when an active soldier (Callum Turner) takes on the role of an insurgent.
Is It Any Good?
This comedy slyly skewers the United States' international wartime policy by showing how the country's "war on terror" causes more harm than help to human life—civilians and soldiers alike. Atropia also makes it clear that soldiers might not even know why they're being sent overseas, which is problematic, since they're being asked to put their lives on the line for their country.
That type of dissonance is exactly what the film wants to call attention to. One of the biggest lessons from Atropia is that everyone deserves to be treated as a full human. Iraqis often don't get this treatment—either on the ground or in U.S. films, in which they're routinely typecast as terrorists. Atropia turns that cliche on its head by having Iraqi Americans portray characters whom they might otherwise be typecast as in another film. Because their characters in this film are consciously playing stereotypes for a job, viewers are able to see their full humanity beyond the stereotype. This humanizing portrayal of Middle Eastern people, along with the film's anti-war messages, make Atropia smart, thought-provoking, and funny.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Atropia's themes. What does the film have to say about war? Can you think of other comedies about wartime?
How are Middle Eastern characters depicted—and treated—in the film? What about members of the military? Which characters demonstrate courage, compassion, and empathy?
Did watching this film have an impact of the way you think about the United States' policies overseas?
Movie Details
- In theaters : December 12, 2025
- On DVD or streaming : February 27, 2026
- Cast : Alia Shawkat , Zahra Alzubaidi , Callum Turner , Chloe Sevigny
- Director : Hailey Gates
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s) , Bisexual Movie Actor(s) , Middle Eastern/North African Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Writer(s)
- Studio : Vertical
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : History ( War: Other )
- Character Strengths : Compassion , Courage , Empathy
- Run time : 104 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : language and sexual material
- Last updated : March 19, 2026
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